This invention relates to improvements in fishing devices and more particularly to the novel arrangement of a plug type artificial fishing lure provided with a harness for holding a fish bait.
In the sport of fishing, the bait is generally either in the form of well known artificial lures fabricated in various forms and shapes such as plugs, spinners, flies and the like designed to simulate the natural action of what they represent or in some form of edible substance of which a popular form is a fish bait, live or dead, from small minnows to larger species as may be desired. For fish bait fishing, many forms of a bait harness have been devised and used which generally include some form of a blade or needle on which to impale the bait and which is secured to the fishing line. Examples of different forms of a fish bait harness are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,010,598, 2,157,333, 2,894,351, 4,067,135, 4,126,956 and 4,233,771. The use of fish bait as bait has the advantage of providing a scent for the prey and this feature is often enhanced by scent creating formulations which are commercially available and can be applied not only to the fish bait but to artificial lures, themselves, where scent is normally not present.
Disadvantages observed in the use of some forms of bait harness as presently used is that the bait is often dislodged by the predator fish or water friction and snags and that it is difficult to obtain desired action of the bait in trolling, casting and deep and shallow fishing.
With the above observations in mind, it is one of the important objects of this invention to provide a new and improved fishing device in the form of a plug type artificial fishing lure normally capable of use independently as bait but in accordance with the present invention is mounted to a jaws type fish bait harness.
Another object herein is to provide a fishing device of the above class wherein the fish bait harness includes movable jaws with bait penetrating prongs to securely hold the fish bait when casting or trolling.
A further object is to provide a fishing device as characterized that includes a bar upon which the fish bait is impaled or skewered that is easily and quickly movable to a position perpendicular to the plug type lure so as to be free and clear to facilitate the impaling of the bait.
Still another object is to provide a device of the above type where the impaling bar is bendable to an arcuate shape to produce a desired side to side action of the bait in simulating the natural action of a fish bait.
A further object is provide a fishing device as characterized in which the plug type lure is buoyant and serves to keep the fish bait in an appropriate position to perform in a natural manner.
Still another object herein is to provide an improved fishing device including a relatively flat bottomed artificial plug lure to which there is mounted a fish bait harness adapted to impale the fish bait and securely hold it with its side flat against the bottom of the plug so as to offer less resistance when pulled through the water and thus facilitate the side to side action of the plug and fish bait.
Another object is to provide an improved fishing device in the form of a plug type artificial lure mounted to a fish bait harness for securing a whole bait fish or a filet or strip of bait fish whereby the plug is provided with the element of a scent.